Casket-retaining device for hearses



Jul 2 l9 y w. B. PARSELS CASKET RETAINING DEVICE FOR HEARSES Filed Oct. 1. 1926 Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM B. PARSELS, F PLE ASANTVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

CASKET-RETAININ G DEVICE FOR HEARSES.

Application filed October 1, 1926.

This invention relates to hearses, and particularly to means associated with a hearse for retaining a casket against movement longitudinally of the hearse; and the said invention is of great utility when installed in a hearse having means for preventing lat eral movement of the casket therein, such means being described and claimed in a patent to this applicant numbered 1,565,195

and dated December 10, 1925.

lVhr-n a hearse is provided with means for preventing lateral movement of a casket therein, such as mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, the present invention acts in conjunction therewith to prevent any movement of the casket with relation to the floor of the hearse, but, of course, this present invention may be utilized without reference to the patented device mentioned and it will operate satisfactorily to prevent shifting of the casket. and it will be effective without liability of marring the finish of the cask-ct.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a casket retainer which cannot be 25 displaced by vertical strain or pressure on the retaining device, except when the retaining devices are manipulated for the purpose of dislodging the holder.

It is a still further object of the invention to produce a device of the character indicated which will be neat in appearance, inexpensive as to installation and capable of performing the functions satisfactorily.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 illustrates a sectional view of a body of a hearse, showing the floor and a device embodying the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged sectional View longitudinally of the floor, omitting the side of the hearse;

Figure 3 illustrates a transverse sectional view of a. fragment of the movable casket retaining device; and

Figure 4t illustrates a detail view of one of the rollers.

Serial No. 138,930.

In these drawings, 5 denotes the floor of the hearse, (3 an end post, 7 rollers for sup porting the casket and provided with shoulders 8 which are intended to be partially imbcdded in the bottom of the casket for preventing lateral movement thereof, and 9 denotes the outline of the casket to show the relation of the casket to the supporting rollers and the invention. The caskets are usually provided with moldings or headings 10 at their lower edges, and when a casket is delivered to a hearse, it rides on rollers such a: 7 and is supported clear of the floor of the hearse by such rollers. A retaining block or bumper 11 has an end seated in a recess or socket 12 formed in the floor of the hearse, and the said bumper may be anchored to the post 6 bya fastening 13, such as screws or the like. The inner face of the element 11 is shaped to form a seat 14: for a cushion 15, preferably of felt or some compressible n'iaterial, which will yield with the pressure of the molding or heading of the casket in order that the finish of the casket will not be impaired by reason of its being held at the front end of the hearse. It is shown in Fig. 2 that the bottom edge of the casket fits in the seat and hence the casket cannot move vertically when so seated.

The embodiment of the invention here illustrated as the most satisfactory means for retaining the casket seated with respect to the element 11, comprises a channel iron 16 preferably seated in a longitudinally disposed recess 17 formed in the floor of the hearse, the upper edge of the channel iron being on a plane below the peripheries of the rollers on which the casket is supported as it is pushed into or removed from the hearse. The channel ironand preferably the floor thereunder is provided with coinciding pairs of apertures 18 and 19, respectively, the apertures of each pair diverging, for a purpose to be presently explained.

The casket retaining device is in the nature of a chock block which engages the rear end of the casketand retains it in proper position with relation to the front casket engagin element. As shown herein, the chock bloc comprises a base 20 which is slidable in the channel iron and it extends above the side flanges of the channel iron and fits under the bottom of the casket which is elevated with respect to the floor of the hearse. Preferably tracting the said screw with relation to a clamping plate 25. The clamping plate may have a recessed boss 26 in which the end of the screw is seated for maintaining the parts in operative relation. The clamping'plate 1s flexible and has a cushioned face 27 which is pressed into engagement withthe head or flange of the casket, or when the screw is retracted, the resilient plate springs out of engagement with the casket. By the means just stated, the clamping plate is forced into engagement with the casket or the base flange thereof,.and when the block is properly anchored, the casket will be held against movement.

The base of the chock block has diagonally disposed apertures 28 and 29 which may be caused to aline with apertures of the channel iron, and the said coinciding apertures are intended to receive the securing pins 30 and 31, respectively, which anchor the block in place. Owing .to the fact that the securin ins diver e with relation to each other r; b 3

the lower ends of the said pins are separated,

as compared with their upper ends or heads and they produce a wedging action and a resistance to vertical displacement when they are properly seated "in their apertures.

Of course the casket could be held against lateral movement by ordinary PIHS SIICll as are now used inliearses, although better re- 1 sults are attained through the use of the rollers.

I claim: V 1.-A hearsehaving panel posts, a casket retaining element in the front end of the hearse,a block, means for securing the block atthe rear of the casket, and means on the block adjustable to embrace a partiof the upper surface of a molding of the casket for clamping it in place. 1

; 2. A hearse having panel; posts, a casket retaining element in the front end of the hearse, a block, a guide on the floor of the hearse in which, the block is movable, the said block and guide having diverging aper turesextending downwardly, securing pins ,in the said apertures of the blockand aper- I tures of the 6O on the block uide, and a clamp adjustable fhr engaging a part of a casket. 13.,A hearse having panel posts, a casket attaining element on one of the posts in the front end of the hearse, a block having a pair of diverging downwardlydirected apertures, aguide on the floor of the hearse for said block having a plurality of pairs of apertures with which theapertures of the block may aline, securing pins in the said apertures of the block and in selective apertures of the guide, and a clamp on the block adjustable with relation to acasket for emhracing an edge of the casket.

4. A hearse having panel posts, a casket retaining element on one of the posts in the front end of the hearse, a block for retaining the rear end of the casket, said block including means for holding it at different posi tions of adjustment in the hearse, a flexible plate having one end anchored to the block, a cushioning clmnent on the fa e of the plate, a screw threaded in a portion of the block and bearing against the plate for pressing it toward a casket with the cushion in engagement with said casket.

5. A hearse having panel posts, a casket retaining element in the front end of the hearse, rollers rotatable with relation to the liner of the hearse having means engaging the bottom of a casket for preventing lateral movement thereof, a block for retaining the rear end of the casket, said block including means for holding it at diil'orent positions in the hearse,a flexible plate having one end anchored to the block, a cushioning element on the face of the plate, a screw threaded in a portion of the block and bearing against the plate for pressing it toward the casket with the cushion in'engageu'ient with said casket.

6. A hearse having panel posts, a casket retaining element on one of the posts in the front end of the hearse, rollers rotatable with relation to the floor of the hearse having means cugagingthe bottom of a casket for preventing lateral movement thereof, a block means for securing the block at the rear 0 the casket, and means on the block adjust; able to embrace a portion of the casket for clamping it in place. l

7. A hearse having panel posts, a casket retaining element on one of the posts in the front end of the hearse, rollers rotatable with relation to the floor of the hearse having means engaging the bottom of a casket for preventing lateral movement thereof, a block, a guide on the floor of the hearse in which the block is movable, the said block and guide having diverging apertures extending downwardly, securing pins in the said apertures of the block and apertures of the guide,

gaging a part of the casket.

and a clamp adjustable on the block for en- 

